The Price of Iron
by Heretek of the Wild
Summary: A story of brothers seeking revenge in iron and blood. Focused on OC Lauras, Cadmus and Tullustes of the Iron Warriors.


[Author notes at the end]

The sun was setting on the Forge World. The red dwarf was slowly disappearing beyond the horizon, crimson red shining over rust brown. It looked as if the uncountable factories, the spires and everything at their feet was on fire as the light was shed, and shone over the metal. Then, after a final glow, the red sun vanished entirely, leaving only a few rays through the smoke-filled skies of the planet. Then, after maybe an hour, there was another sun rising. It was purple. Its glow, eerie and sickening, all but ignored the nauseating fumes spread across the surface, and shedding its light over the tortuous infrastructures, revealed the true shape of the presence. The world was twisted in madness, twisted to the core. It was tainted, corrupted by the ruinous powers. As the dark sun rose, so did the hellish beasts that resided in the spires. Unholy life came to the Forge World, its metallic fauna stirring, its tainted inhabitants starting to work now that the dark sun was empowering them.

I sighed, and my helmet dulled the sound, releasing my distorted voice in the polluted atmosphere. "How abject... ". I turned to the person to my side, and asked, in a solemn tone, "The time has come. Are you ready, brother ?"

The other figure, clad in grey armor as I was, silently nodded, clasping his bolter as he did so. Then he spoke. "After four thousand years, I think it will be cold enough to be served, brother." I scoffed amusedly ; "Cadmus, my brother, if there was only one thing that I'd love about you, it's your humour."

\- Thank you. It has become a scarce resource among our family, so enjoy it as much as you can.

\- I will, worry not."

On those words, our ship landed in a small bay, far from the northern pole, and we were welcomed by a wretched thing. It was once a man, a priest of the Adeptus Mechanicus. Now… It was a husk, a sort of metallic serpent, without even a proper shape. The only way I could tell it was conscious was by seeing how it groveled before us.

Only one word was needed.

"Speak." I said. My voice was firm and stark. I would not allow any mistake. The implication was obvious. Speak when commanded to, or die. That was the rule when facing an Astartes. The thing knew the rule, it seemed, as it spewed forth a long litany of binaric code. After a split second, I made it out, and gave my reply.

"_Who comes to the domain of Lord Tullustes ?_"

"Comes Lauras the Painbringer, and Cadmus Kaladbolg, of the Iron Warriors. We come for the iron price."

It shivered at my words, and its next reply was quite tense, even in code.

"The master will welcome you. Do you have anything else to tell him for now, sir Astartes ?"

\- Tell him to open his ears."

The thing froze in place, and started crawling backwards a second after. I spoke again, my voice louder; I was screaming.

"LISTEN, BROTHER, TO WHAT HAPPENS TO TRAITORS. HEAR THE SOUND OF REVENGE !" 

Cadmus understood my intentions, and in a sharp movement, unleashed a bolt round in the head of the serpent thing. Less than a second after, there was flesh, and oil, and scraps of metal spread around on the ground. Taking a step forward, I crushed the remnants under my boot. Good. It was starting. The slaughter, the murder… The revenge. A price paid in blood, a debt recovered by an iron blade. The edges of my vision were turning red and brown.

Not good.

I took a deep breath, calling in the foul air of this wretched planet, and I felt the thing in my throat stir as I was about to call upon it. I called it Vaux; it meant The False Voice in high gothic. It was the only gift I ever received in my life. A thing that took residence in my vocal chords, bestowed upon me by the gods. A voice that none could avoid. When I spoke, all had to listen. No matter how far, how close, how strong, how weak, how amicable or hostile, if I spoke to them, everyone had to listen. I heard it speak to me. Vaux, as usual, tried to stir me, to push me over the edge.

"Tell me your words of hatred, tell them to me. Tell me everything you want to scream at the face of the universe. Tell it all to me. Tell me the names of those you want dead, tell me. I will be your voice, forever and ever. I will utter your contempt to their dying ears, I will murmur your pride and your hatred to their cursed souls. And we will grow stronger."

Under my helmet, I closed my eyes. My mind was a fortress. Unbreachable. Unbreakable. Almighty. And it was mine. I opened my eyes within. I looked over the grey walls, the steely ramparts, the iron towers. I knew I was strong. I saw Vaux, formless, writhing, trying to get over the walls, and through the gates… I clenched my teeth, and flicked my wrist.

From far above, there was a glimmer of steel, as a star fell from the sky; it had the shape of a blade, long and straight and sharp. It impaled Vaux, eliciting a groan from the creature. I kept my fist clenched, and another came down, then another one, then yet another one… Until Vaux was nothing more than a bush of blades.

It groaned.

"Why do you not give up ? Why cling to your mind, when you could tell them everything in your heart ? Why not be freed from that ? Why do you keep resisting ? It would be easier for you if you let me speak…"

I scoffed, my spirit filled with nothing but contempt for the thing. "Not this day, not another; as long as I live, I will rule in my own body."

It was the truth. It was not an affirmation that could be rebutted. It was not wishful thinking either. It was my truth, the only one that mattered. It was my will, and so would things be. I sighed again, the landscape of my mind fading away as I came back to reality.

Cadmus was talking to me.

"Brother… They are coming."

I turned my head, casting him a quick glance. I knew what he meant. They were the enemies. Tullustes' pawns and minions, all victims of his lies and deceit. I cared not. If they fought for him, they ought to die for him. It was the rule. "From Faith cometh Honour. From Honour cometh Iron", I muttered for myself. Then, I looked up, staring at the highest spire I saw around. I knew he was watching me. I knew he would enjoy to see me suffer and toil through his maze of steel. I would not give him the pleasure. Drawing my breath, I talked loudly, with a firm voice, Vaux carrying the waves to Tul's ears.

"Listen, traitor. Listen closely to my words."

I took in another breath, and I spoke again. This time, all would listen. All would stop their activity, and lend an ear to the wrath of iron.

"Listen to my voice. I am Lauras the Painbringer. I am he who enacts justice upon those who sullied our honor. I have come for your head, Tullustes. I have come to make you pay the price of iron. I have come to make you pay the price of blood. I have come to bring you death, my brother. I have come to enact revenge, my friend. I have come to pass my wrath, after four millenia, to soothe the pain in my heart that I feel at the thought of you being alive. What you did goes beyond treachery, beyond the bounds of honour. You know your deed. I have come to avenge the fallen of that day. Do you hear me, Tul ? I will be your reaper."

Audibly, I drew my blade from its sheath. Combat-wise, it was impractical, and unwieldy. Long and wide, but so big that the edge could as well be dull for all it mattered. It was longer than me, and wide as perhaps half my torso. It wasn't much of a sword, indeed. More like a slab of raw iron. It screeched as it came forth, iron against iron. With a dull, but loud thud, it came planted in the ground. After a few seconds, I hit the flat of the blade with my knuckles, sending forth vibrations into my arm, and a powerful, low note into the air.

"Heed me, Tullustes. For your doom this bell tolls."

Then there was silence. I saw Cadmus nodding slowly, approvingly. Then, far ahead of us, the assembled horde of once-human wrecks, of other traitors of no fame, and all their wretched constructs. Frozen. Standing still, after hearing my declaration. Weak. How contemptible. They did not know of the true strength of iron.

I laughed. It was not a beautiful sound. It was ugly, even. But it was true. It was like iron just torn out of the ground. Dark, unrefined, twisted and unwhole. But it was mine. It sounded like a thousand blades thrown through a thousand hearts, my world cracking and fracturing as I bellowed, the walls of my mind glimmering under the foul moon of my soul. Finally, I drew my steel from within. I stood alone atop a hill of swords. The forge of my heart heated by the fires of revenge, I was ready. I saw flames dancing in front of my eyes. I breathed out, slowly, solemnly.

I drew my steel without. The massive blade held by both of my hands, I took a step forward, the world shaking under my feet. Cadmus was following me. Good. I took another step, then another… Until I found myself running steadily towards the amassed horde that stood before me. I raised my blade over my shoulder, and I charged.

The world narrowed around me. I was seeing only the foes in front of me. All other sights were useless, and I threw them away. I was listening only to the enemies that stood before me. All other sounds… I threw them away. Forgotten, the cawing of the iron beasts in the sky. Ignored, the constant rustling of the factories. Forsaken, my heartbeat, my breath even… Only the low, shaking thumps of my steps came to my ears, to my mind… The rustling of the wind against the metal of my blade… There also was another sound. It sounded like a growling, the fury of a wild beast. I did not know from where it came; then blood came to my ears, and I found myself screaming at the top of my lungs.

I was boiling with fury. Forsake vengeance served cold, it would be delivered hot as lava, and burning as a star.

Cadmus' voice rang in my helmet, somehow bringing me back to my senses as kept advancing. The enemy still had not opened fire. They still had not moved. I listened to what he was saying.

"Three thousand slaves, seven hundred mechanical opponents, twelve legionaries. Tul's aides, I believe. It looks like they didn't expect your attack, brother. Prepare for reaction on impact.

\- Understood."

Finally, I reached the enemy. I plunged into the mass of flesh and steel like a swimmer breasting a wave, and I swung my blade from right to left, sending dozens flying, mangling another batch of those mangy dogs. And finally, violence erupted all around me. Stirred by the whip of their masters, the slaves came crashing against my armor, the masters fired at me with their small weapons, and the astartes drew their blades, and brought up their bolters.

I did not even feel them squashing themselves against me. I only cared for the pain and punishment I was delivering unto them. With my left hand, I caught one of the slaves as he tried to jump on me. He was distorted, made into the likeness of a spider, with seven arms and seven eyes, and I thought that he was incomplete. He clawed at the ceramite of my chestplate, helplessly, as I closed my fist, crushing him rib by rib, spilling out the blood, and turning his organs to paste. Without even an afterthought, I threw the corpse aside, and resumed my slaughter.

An abomination towered above me. A thing, looking like a centipede, probably one of the depraved tech-priests of this world, with hundreds of little claws, and as long as a baneblade, tried to engulf me.

I roared, and raised my blade, impaling it under the head. I brought down my sword, skewering it, severing it in half. With a thunderous crash, the sword hit the ground, and there was silence. Then, both halves of the thing fell aside, like the unholiest of gates, and most of the slaves flew, or were trampled to death, while their mechanical overseers cautiously retreated.

Now were only the twelve Astartes left. Good. Soon, it would be over. They all had melee weapons, I noticed. Bad idea. I was not alone, and Cadmus was armed. I called him.

"Brother. Fire at will when I engage."

There was no response, merely a grunt of approbation. That was how it should be. Good.

The first enemy came at me. He was a monster of a man, if he was even a man anymore. The green heraldry of his armor told me he was a recently turned Salamander. Seeing by the hammer he wielded, he hadn't brought his skills with him. The weapon was so crude, I thought I was facing an ork, for a second. It was merely a block of stone, stuck at the end of a long pole. How crude. How contemptible. How weak.

The Salamander roared, and brought down his hammer. I swiftly leaped back, then forward again, and, taking a step onto the crashed-down weapon, I jumped towards him, my blade high.

"From Iron, cometh strength."

I bashed his head in with the pommel, shattering his skull, destroying his brain, killing him in one move. The fool did not even wear a helmet. Pitiful. I recommended his poor soul to the gods, if they had not taken it already. With one hand, I tossed his corpse aside, and faced my next opponent.

This one… he was more dangerous, I thought on the spot. He wore long, dark robes over his armor, and he had gauntlets brimming with power. But he made a mistake. He should have blasted me as soon as I defeated the salamander. Instead, he chose to warp and animate the shards of broken metal that laid around, in an attempt to ensnare me.

Akin to vines, the ropes of metal latched onto my armor, and soon, I had difficulties to advance forward. I growled, audibly, and the sorcerer came close; I heard his voice, high-pitched, and filled with contempt. I did not listen. I waited for him to be done. Then, I screamed, calling upon Vaux one more time.

"IRON WITHIN, IRON WITHOUT"

Did I cry, as I tore myself free from the metallic vines. The sorcerer staggered back, and I clutched his head in a swift move, snarling in his ear

"From strength, cometh Will."

Then, slowly, deliberately, I twisted his head, ripping it from his spine. With a sickening crunch, it came out. I dropped it, and with another crunch, it shattered under my foot. Good. Another one down. I had to keep my momentum.

Then, I saw all those who stood on my left side fall and explode. Then, not sounding apologetic in the slightest, I heard Cadmus in my ear. "I found a grenade nearby, brother." I repressed a smile, and went on to the next opponent, the first of the three remaining.

He was clad in black and gold, and for a second I thought that Tul had gained greater clout than I had believed beforehand. Then I noticed the heraldry, and I sighed, quite relieved. He was a mere Word Bearer, not an envoy of the Black Legion. I noticed that he was holding a staff in his hand. He raised his arms, and started chanting.

I darted forward, in the hopes of reaching him before he was done. Twenty meters… Ten… Five… Three… And suddenly, space distorted in front of me, a shape coming out. I scowled, and backhanded the thing with the flat of my blade, shattering the concentration of the summoner. Not losing a second, I ran him through, pushing him to the ground. As I put my blade through him, I put on knee down by his side, and whispered to him as he died

"From will, cometh Faith."

I saw him trying to reach out with the last bits of his strength, only to die lying down, his hand grasping at nothing, as he breathed his last. Good. Only two left. I stepped forward, once more. Then I felt a great pain. I looked down, and I saw a black blade emerging from my chest, covered in blood. I fell down on one knee, reeling at the pain, as the teeth of the chainsword kept coming in and out of my chest. With both hands, I clasped the thing, and crushed it, stopping it altogether. Then, with great effort, holding it in one hand, I swung my enormous blade overhead, squashing the impudent brat behind me. If not for the pain, it would have been satisfying. Instead, I spat blood inside my helmet, and defiantly screamed

"From faith, cometh Honour !"

By the gods it was painful… Using my sword as a crutch, I pulled myself up again, and I faced the last enemy.

That one was going to be a tough opponent. I had never faced a dreadnought in a duel before, so I fully expected to lose the battle, at this point. I felt my adrenaline coming down, and I noticed the dozens of scratches that had been made unto me, as they slowly bled. I looked up to the Dreadnought, who came forward. He took three steps, before his voice boomed across the corpse-filled boulevard.

"FROM HONOUR COMETH IRON. IT HAS BEEN A LONG, LONG TIME, BROTHER LAURAS."

I reeled back, surprised. Who… ? Then, memories flooded my mind. Back then, when we were still in training, twelve thousand years ago on Terra… The only one I knew who had been entombed.

"Thaddrex ?"

I think he'd have smiled, if he could.

"IT IS ME INDEED. UNDER OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES, I WOULD HAVE BEEN GLAD TO SEE YOU AGAIN, BROTHER."

\- So would I. But now… Now is not the time.

\- THAT IS TRUE. NOW IS THE TIME OF SORROWS, FOR THE FRIENDS OF YORE ARE THE FOES OF NOW. STAND, LAURAS, SO THAT WE CAN FIGHT PROPERLY. I WILL GIVE YOU A PAINLESS DEATH AS YOU DESERVE. NOT MANY WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO CUT DOWN ELITE ASTARTES LIKE YOU DID."

I held back a scowl.

"Elites ? Do not mock me, Thaddrex. They were weak, and you know it. They fought half-assedly, half-heartedly. They were too confident, and too weak."

I straightened myself, pointing my blade at the venerable one. "But now is not the time for that. Now is the time for iron to speak."

It was his time to scowl. "DO NOT CURSE ME FOR WHAT COMES NEXT."

And then I saw it happening. I did not understand how it was possible. The metal of the Dreadnought started to swell, creaking and bending, the shape shifted and changed, becoming taller, wider, and better-proportioned. It looked like some parts were outright missing, and I saw something, that looked like black goo, filling in for those. Then, he turned to the side, and grabbed a long piece of scrap metal. It instantly started to change as well, assumed the shape of a wicked sword, at least thrice longer than I was. Finally, it moved, assuming a dueling stance. And its face lowered towards me, a pair of red eyes staring into mine. "WE CAN BEGIN."

And for the first time since the great war, I remembered what fear meant, and I gulped down.

.

[A/N : This is a short story I wrote for fun with friends. I'm not really satisfied with it, but I couldn't come up with a better concept about Space Marines. Part 2 will come out probably around next friday, I think. And having finally overcome depression and real-life difficulties, the revised chapter 1 of A tale of seven swords will be released on December 1st, and I'll try to deliver one, maybe two chapters a week during this month. Then, I'll try and keep a rate of 1 chapter/week.]


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